Vanguard Rao was just a powerless gentleman, while Zhuang Zhen was an experienced special forces soldier, and the two simply couldn't be compared in terms of combat capabilities. In theory, Vanguard Rao shouldn't have been able to control Zhuang Zhen. However, strangely, when his hand covered Zhuang Zhen's hand, Zhuang Zhen was enveloped in an invisible magnetic field, unable to resist or perceive the outside world.
At this moment, Zhuang Zhen finally realized how terrifying Vanguard Rao was. This person didn't need to resort to force or words to control someone; just a light touch was enough. Moreover, sometimes he didn't even need to touch, just a remote pointing with his fingertip.
What kind of power was this? Could it still be explained by science?
Zhuang Zhen tried to focus his thoughts, trying to break free from the enveloping magnetic field, trying to stop the torrential release of emotions, but all his attempts ended in failure. His body was no longer his, and his mind was no longer his, but had become an interface for Vanguard Rao.
It was at this moment that Zhuang Zhen remembered Vanguard Rao's words— "Everything in the world is a medium for me!" And it turned out to be not an empty boast!
As Zhuang Zhen struggled in horror, Vanguard Rao looked at Song Rui and slowly said, "Have you heard of the double-slit delayed choice experiment? Do you know about the wave-particle duality of photons?"
Song Rui, with a blank expression, glanced back at him, not willing to be drawn into his question.
Liao Fang, on the other hand, was increasingly curious and asked eagerly, "Yeah, what about it?"
Vanguard Rao continued, "A monitoring device is set up near a point light source to track the trajectory of light particles, and a board with two slits is placed in front of it. The experiment involves single light particles being emitted from the point source, allowed to pass through either of the two slits, and then projected onto a screen behind the board. When the monitor is turned on, the light particle only passes through one of the slits, creating two parallel light stripes on the screen. However, when the monitor is turned off, the light particle can pass through both slits at the same time, creating numerous parallel light and dark alternating stripes on the screen. What does this tell us?"
Song Rui remained silent, but Liao Fang had been captivated by the topic and repeated eagerly, "Yeah, what does it tell us?"
Vanguard Rao chuckled lightly, "Why can a light particle pass through both slits at the same time, just like a football passing through two goalposts? Why does it display particle-like behavior when the monitor is on and wave-like behavior when the monitor is off? What changes the form of light?"
The Assistant remained unresponsive, but Liao Fang was increasingly drawn to the topic, and asked eagerly, "Yes, why?"
Vanga held Zhuangzhen's hand tightly, sighed and said, "Haven't you understood yet? When humanity has not observed light, it is a particle. When humanity observes it, it becomes a wave. Our consciousness determines the form of light. In other words, our thoughts and consciousness can change this world. What we see, hear, and touch may not all be real, but what we think, feel, and sense may be able to explore the origins of the world. Emotions and consciousness are the most powerful forces of humanity. Just as when we are irritable, the water molecules around us become chaotic and loose, and when we are happy, they become tight, beautiful, and strong."
Vanga paused for a moment, then said slowly, word by word, "Our emotions and consciousness can penetrate and influence all tangible or intangible things. In other words, as long as we want, we have the ability to change this world."
Liao Fang was stunned, is this science or theology? Why does it sound more and more mysterious?
Vanga stared at Song Rui without blinking, with a hint of mocking smile at the corner of his mouth, "Dr. Song, do you think you are invincible, that no emotion can affect you, and no thought can shake you? However, my point of view is just the opposite. You don't even have the ability to change yourself, let alone influence or change the world. When you reject others, you are already rejected by the world. Surface strength is not real strength; inner strength is the true strength. This kind of strength is composed of various substances—love, hate, sorrow, and suffering, but you have nothing. No matter how strong a wall of ice is, it doesn't take any effort to break it. Just expose it to the daylight, and it will melt on its own."
"Dr. Song," Vanga finally let go of Zhuangzhen's hand and chuckled softly, "Are you willing to expose your heart to the daylight?"
Song Rui's facial muscles tightened, as if they were about to crack the next second. His silence made the atmosphere in the interrogation room even more eerie.
Zhuangzhen tried hard to calm his frantic heartbeat. The feeling of being controlled and drained of emotions and consciousness was terrible. Perhaps he would never forget this interrogation in his lifetime.
Liao Fang looked left and right, with a face that said, "Who am I? Where am I? What just happened? Vanga said so much, I didn't understand a single word!"
In the monitoring room, Liu Tao and Xiao Li keenly perceived the deep meaning of these words.
"Is Vanga implying that Dr. Song has psychological issues? Is there really a person in the world without love, hate, sorrow, or suffering?" Xiao Li shook his head incredulously.
"Yes, and there are quite a few of them," Liu Tao nodded solemnly. He didn't say it out loud, but these people, without emotions and empathy, classified by the Italian criminologist Lombroso as natural-born criminals, are extremely dangerous. They could commit crimes at any time.
Xiao Li shook his head in disbelief, "Is Vanga just talking nonsense? Dr. Song has a good temper and is sincere in his dealings with people. How could he not have emotions? I don't believe it!"
Liu Tao didn't respond. He had been fighting on the front line to combat criminals for years and understood more than anyone else that knowing a person's appearance does not mean knowing their heart. What kind of person Dr. Song Rui really was, other than himself, who could know?
Both adjacent rooms fell into silence. After a while, Zhuangzhen eased out of the drained feeling, and coldly said, "Vanga, we are interrogating you now. Why are you involving Dr. Song?"
Liao Fang, as if waking from a dream, quickly picked up the pen to record.
Vanga glanced at the stern-faced Song Rui and chuckled, "I'm just proving my testimony. I am a medium, not the murderer you imagine me to be. Officer Zhuang, you can open the thermos to verify if what I said about the water is true or false."
"What does your testimony have to do with the thermos? Don't play tricks with me, honestly answer the previous question!" Zhuangzhen's tone was severe, not wanting to be led by the nose. Unfortunately, he had a bumbling teammate. In the time it took him to react, Liao Fang opened the thermos and took a sip of the water inside.
"Oops!" The next second, water splashed all over the table, followed by Liao Fang's distressed exclamation, "Captain, did you put bitter melon in it? Why is it so bitter?!"
"Bitter?" Zhuangzhen hurriedly took a sip and then his face changed drastically. He knew better than anyone that the cup contained only plain hot water, without any flavor, as he had drunk from it just a few minutes ago. But now the water had indeed turned bitter, and the bitterness was very strong, almost numbing his tongue.
Did Vanga tamper with the water? Poison it somehow? This thought was quickly dismissed by Zhuangzhen. The thermos was made of steel, the lid was tightly closed, and Vanga had been holding his hand throughout and didn't touch the thermos, let alone change the water quality through the thick steel.
Then how did the water turn bitter? Did my emotions and consciousness really influence it? Zhuangzhen's mind fell into a blank, not knowing how to explain this.
Liao Fang, afraid of misperceiving, took the cup and tasted it several times before spitting it out.
This caught the attention of Liu Tao and Xiao Li, who hastily entered the interrogation room. They drank from the cup and were choked by the bitterness.
Song Rui sat stiffly, without expression or movement. This was the first time he had been forced to such an extent, as if his soul had been stripped bare, exposed and bleeding in front of everyone. A prickling sensation passed through his heart, pulling at his nerves, an emotion resembling panic.
It took him a while to break free from this unfamiliar emotion, and he said in a hoarse voice, "Don't drink it. Remove the cup and have it tested in the forensic department. Water wouldn't inexplicably turn bitter."
"Yes, take the water to the forensic department quickly. It would be a disaster if it's poisoned!" Liu Tao vigorously slapped his bald head.
Zhuangzhen looked back at Vanga seriously before gathering the scattered documents on the table and then hastily left with Liao Fang and the others. Song Rui adjusted his glasses and followed suit, not daring to look Vanga in the face, let alone into his eyes, fearing the feeling of being seen through.
Vanga was left alone in the interrogation room, the spotlight still shining on his pale face, making him almost transparent. However, his dark and brilliant eyes indicated that his presence couldn't be ignored. Leaning back in his chair, his long legs crossed lazily, his hands placed flat on the table, he turned his head to look at himself in the mirror, his pupils devoid of any emotion. Then he lowered his gaze to his hands, using his left and right thumbs to rhythmically tap the back of each other.
Contrary to Vanga's quiet and leisurely demeanor, the special task force was in complete disarray. Liu Tao barged into the forensic department, demanding an immediate test of the water. Zhuangzhen and Song Rui returned to the office to rethink and plan the subsequent interrogation. Liao Fang vividly described Vanga's miraculous deeds to several female officers. Xiao Li saved the interrogation video on the computer and repeatedly watched it, trying to find flaws in Vanga's performance, with a circle of people behind him, wide-eyed and amazed. Yang Shengfei hid in the stairwell, smoking one cigarette after another, his anger burning inside.
As a suspect, Vanga was unusually relaxed. With just a few words, he had turned the tables on everyone, unearthing all the weaknesses buried by them and exposing them openly. He was the mastermind behind the interrogation, and to this point, the task force had yet to realize it.